JR Blog: Developing Talents, Crunch Time for WWE, More

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has a new blog on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights from this entry:

– Heading to New York City in a few days to begin some potentially viable meetings that could impact what I will be doing in 2014 at least to some degree. I’m excited to be meeting new people with fresh ideas who genuinely want to work with me in a relationship based on honesty, respect and professionalism.

– Crunch time for WWE as it relates to producing a compelling Monday Night Raw that sells the HIAC PPV which will be the 2nd, I think, PPV of the billing cycle for the company. With the overall lack of main event depth in WWE these days, now would be the perfect time to get someone on a roll…attempt to get them hot and see if the individual can connect with the audience. One can always audible out of it but this matter can’t be determined in a few weeks no matter how sage like some feel that they may be in determining such. It’s a process that is largely determined by the live audience’s reaction over time. All sports, or entertainment, fans want to support the ‘stars’ and ‘stars,’ IE heroes, and all have similar traits. They win more than they lose, they somehow eventually overcome when the odds are the greatest against them and they never quit. All these traits endears them to the audience. Fans can identify with winning. Loses become significant moments and not every other week occurrences. 50/50 booking helps NO one. Those trying to re-invent the “booking” wheel and who refuse or simply ignore basic psychology and human emotions are foolish or naive or…gasp… egomaniacal. Box office receipts and PPV numbers should convince any one who professes that the fine line between good and evil need not exist.

– Many NFL teams have the same issues that the WWE Performance Center faces and that is missing on their evaluations as it relates to new talents coming into the system. There isn’t a fail proof system. For WWE, the best answer that I can provide is to sign as many quality, athletic, high character talents as one can and then play the numbers game. if WWE can develop 4-6 talents annually who can make it to the main roster with an impact then WWE wins over time. If WWE training personnel can’t accomplish the 4-6 number then those individuals need to be re-evaluated.